Comparative Evaluation of Artifacts Originated by Four Different Post Materials Using Different CBCT Settings.

Area of Science:

• Dental Imaging
• Radiology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is crucial for evaluating dental restorations.
• Metal posts can cause artifacts in CBCT images, complicating diagnosis.
• Optimizing CBCT parameters is essential for artifact reduction and diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate artifact levels in CBCT images with different post materials and imaging parameters.
• To compare artifact prevalence across different tooth regions.
• To identify optimal CBCT settings for minimizing artifacts and radiation dose.

Main Methods:

• Forty premolar teeth with root canal treatment were prepared with four post materials: titanium, gold, quartz fiber, and glass fiber.
• CBCT imaging was performed using varying kilovoltage peak (kVp), metal artifact reduction (MAR) algorithms, and resolutions.
• Effective dose was calculated, and statistical analysis (ANOVA, Tukey) was used to assess interactions.

Main Results:

• Artifacts were more prevalent in the middle third of the root compared to the cervical third.
• Gold posts, 90 kVp, no MAR, and 100 voxel size resulted in the highest artifact levels.
• Glass or quartz fiber posts with low resolution, high MAR, and 96 kVp produced fewer artifacts and lower radiation doses.

Conclusions:

• The optimal CBCT protocol for radiographic follow-up of post materials on the Planmeca ProMax is 96 kVp with low resolution and high MAR.
• This setting minimizes effective dose while reducing artifacts, improving diagnostic reliability.
• Selecting appropriate post materials and CBCT parameters prevents misinterpretation of root canal conditions.